Slow tourism is a way of traveling that seeks to escape the kilometer-long walks between buildings and monuments, the long lines to enter a museum or any tourist attraction, the compressed days in that beautiful European capital with all those “you have to see this ”And“ you have to do this ”because the guide says so… This new way of doing tourism invites you to look for less touristy cities and towns to enjoy them without haste, rest and live the trip.
Slow tourism, what is it?
The keys to slow tourism are the following:
- Destinations are not places saturated with tourists but quite the opposite. Although they are usually close to capitals, they are smaller areas where great monuments and tall buildings are scarce but there is a lot of nature, tranquility and peace.
- The objective of this tourism is not to increase the number of visitors but to generate economic benefits for the local population , which is why it is committed to modest accommodation such as an inn, a refuge, a rural house or a hotel with few rooms.
- The minimum stay has to be one week to know the true attraction of the area and to be able to rest from the busy and fast life that is normally led.
- The activities carried out by the tourist aim to get to know the place and its people . That is, walks and talks will occupy most of the day.
- Nothing in the trip is planned to accommodate improvisation and experimentation.
- One of the most important things is to be respectful of the host environment .
What is a slow destination like?
For a town to be considered slow, it has to assume concrete and verifiable commitments, such as supporting agriculture, gastronomy and local commerce, improving the tourist reception system and recovering monumental areas and historic centers . In addition, one of the requirements is that the town must not exceed 50,000 inhabitants .
and why all this? As we have already said before, what this type of tourism seeks is tranquility and it is more than proven that it is easier to achieve it in small towns than in large cities. The historic centers of these destinations are usually pedestrian areas where there is, in general, little traffic. This invites you to take long, quiet walks. Agriculture, livestock and fishing provide high-quality products , many of which can be tasted in restaurants that offer both traditional and modern cuisine .
In addition, promoting a tourism as respectful as this one, everyone wins because it is a way of generating economic benefits for the local population at the same time that they provide pleasant experiences for tourists and promote the conservation of natural and cultural heritage.
Can it be practiced in Spain?
Although in countries like France or Italy this type of tourism is much more established than in Spain, in fact the movement known as Cittaslow was born in Italy in 1999, some places that are committed to quiet tourism have already begun to appear .
The Spanish municipalities that meet the requirements and have joined the slow network are: Balmaseda, Begues, Begur, Bubión, La Orotava, Lekeitio, Morella, Mungia, Pals and Rubielos de Mora.
Who can practice slow tourism?
Middle-aged couples, couples with children, grandparents, families, young people, the elderly … This way of traveling is suitable for anyone who wants to spend a week free of stress and without haste and disconnect from social networks, emails and mobile phones. That is, it is about disconnecting from the routine and daily obligations to enjoy the place, its food and its people.
